Best Alcoholic Beverage to drink for Fat Loss in New Orleans

Are you going out with your friends in New Orleans and hitting the bars? With a little planning and foresight you can somewhat avoid this diet disaster, and below i have listed some low calorie alcoholic drinks you should look at.

However, Alcoholic Drinks seem to be always overlooked as a culprit of weight gain…especially when you go out and consume them back to back.

Some Alcoholic Drinks contain just as many unhealthy calories as a McDonalds Hamburger… can you image what eating 4-6 of those in a couple hours will do to encourage some weight gain?

Ok Now onto the list…

Let’s Look at Beer First

The Worst Low Calories Beers.

- Anchor Porter, 209 calories per 12 oz serving

- McEwans Scottish Ale, 295 calories per 12 oz serving

The Best Low Calories Beers

-Pabst Extra Light Low Alcohol, 67 calories per 12 oz serving

-Molson Light, 82 calories per 12 oz serving

-Anheuser Busch Natural Light, 95 calories per 12 oz serving

Now onto the Wine..

The Worst..

-Ruby Port, A staggering 185 calories per 4 oz glass

-Port, 170 calories per 4 oz glass

-Ginger wine, 190 calories per 4 oz glass

-Martini Rosso, 192 calories per 4 oz glass

The Best….

- White Zinfindel, 80 calories per 4 oz glass

-Chardonnays, 90 calories per 4 oz glass

-Dry Red wine, 83 calories per 4 oz glass

-Dry white wine, 77 calories per 4 oz glass

-Champagne, 96 calories per 4 oz glass

As you can see..Wine can be just as bad if making the wrong choices..

Now, let look at the Liquor.

Liquor can be a little tricky because it usually involves making a cocktail which can REALLY pile on the calories…so it’s kind of difficult to get exact number’s but!

The Worst..

-Long Island Ice Tea, packs 780 in calories per drink!

The Best..

-Blody Mary or a Manhattan, usually reach the mid 100’s calories per drink

-The Mojito and Mowscow Mule are anothe 2 that are on the Lower calories spectrum.

In closing If you are planing on drinking on the weekends you better plan ahead because as you can see drinking a couple innocent Long island Ice teas or other Alcholic beverages sure can pack on some extra calories that will put your Fat loss to a halt in New Orleans.

I would recommend that ANYONE that is trying to lose weight anywhere from 8-20+ pounds of wieght should NOT  be consuming  alcohol because It taxes your system and it fights the progress you may be making in any exercise program or Boot Camp in New Orleans.

Let me know what you think, I love to hear your comments

P.S. I recently had one client in My New Orleans Boot Camp who decided to quit drinking for 20 days and dropped a extra 25 pounds on top of the previous 18 pounds from doing the boot camp the month before…She is a VIP boot camper now where she saves 33% off the price of boot camp a month!

She’s on the path to unstoppable Fat Loss…Click here to Get on the VIP New Orleans Boot Camp program!

Don’t Forget..Let me know what you think, I love to hear your comments

New Orleans,Vampires,Eclipse, True Blood and Fitness Tips!

Hey – Jonas here, and I’m about to see the movie “Eclipse” No, I didn’t read the books!

BUT, I love vampire movies, I think they’re Awesome…Especially since a lot of them are shot in New Orleans or in the bayou.

Actually, One of my friends is always Photo-shopping my face into Twilight movie posters because he thinks it’s pretty funny to post them on my face-book profile when I’m sleeping lol! These photos are his handy work! What you think pretty funny right?

I think it would be kind of cool sometimes to be a Vampire or a Werewolf
Btw… Do you watch “True Blood” on HBO?
I LOVE that show too!

Anyway, I wanted to share with you 4 awesome New Orleans vacation fat loss tips since it is summer and that’s when most of us go on vacation!

Tip One: Have a Plan

Vacations are the perfect place to gain weight since it’s the last thing on your mind. Your best line of defense is to keep your fitness goals at the forefront of your mind. Before you leave for your trip sit down and set a goal.

A realistic goal is to maintain your current weight or to lose a pound or two. Get the whole family on board and keep each other accountable throughout the trip.

Tip Two: Make Exercise a Must

So often exercise is looked at as a chore, but vacations are the perfect time to really enjoy a good workout. You won’t be rushing home from work trying to squeeze in a few minutes at the gym, rather the vacation workout can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Virtually every hotel these days has some type of workout room equipped with cardio machines, dumbbells and a universal machine. If you are taking a cruise then you are in for a real treat – most workout facilities on cruise ships have huge windows that look out onto the ocean.

Tip Three: Maintain your Metabolism

When traveling it is easy to go for hours without a meal-between flights and long drives food sometimes isn’t readily available. The problem here it two fold. First your metabolism slows from the long absence of food. Secondly you are more likely to indulge in a high calorie meal when you get around to eating next.

Avoid this yo-yo of starvation and overindulgence by carrying healthy snacks with you and eating something every three hours. A handful of almonds, a piece of fruit or a small protein bar are fantastic options to keep on hand.

Tip Four: Eat Smart

While we all know that eating in is usually healthier than eating out, on the road you simply don’t have a choice – all of your vacations meals will be eaten out. So take the time to order with your health conscious mind, and not simply your taste buds. Watch out for extra large portions-don’t be afraid to take a doggie bag back to your room (assuming of course that you have a refrigerator).

Another thing to keep in mind is to keep fried food consumption to a minimum. Fried foo ds co ntain more fat and calories than other options, they are also likely to give you heartburn and indigestion-two things you don’t need spoiling your vacation. Stick with dishes that contain veggies, lean meats and whole grains.

Enjoy your vacation! Keep the following tips in mind as you embark on your summer adventure an d you may come home fitter than when you left. And when you get back into town sign up for my New Orleans fitness and fat-loss boot camps and I’ll you  get the body that you deserve – in less time than you think.

I would love to hear your comments below!

Click  Here To Register For New Orleans Boot Camp!

Make sure to Leave a comment below!

New Orleans Can You Change in a Single Moment?

********Do you want to get in shape fast and save money? *******
***********Click here to find out! ************

Change is a curious thing. In most areas of life you dread it, yet in others you pine for it.

You’re told that change is hard, that it takes time. You’re also told that change is the most consistent thing that you’ll encounter. You wonder how to make lasting changes that will improve your life.

I’m here to argue that change can happen in an instant.

I know this goes against mainstream belief. Most people believe that change has to be worked at for months or even years. We expect to try and fail numerous times before we ultimately give up or succeed.

Think about it-how many people do you know who struggle with their weight? They want to make a healthy change by getting in shape, but the change never seems to take hold.

Is there something in your life that you want to change?

Do you have weight to lose?

Do you have high blood pressure?

Do you have a pair or pants that you wish you could fit into?

What is preventing you from making a positive change in your life?

According to professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, it’s the getting ready to change that takes times. In the end there’s an instant when the change occurs. Robbins goes on to outline three specific beliefs that you must have in order to instantly create a lasting change.

Belief #1: Something must change.

Do you kind of want to get into shape or do you absolutely have to lose the weight? Does dropping a few pounds sound nice or is living another day in your current body simply out of the question? In order to make a lasting change you must be convinced that the time is right.

Belief #2: I must change it.

It is vital that you take full responsibility in making the change. Sure, others may assist you, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to want this change enough to make it your personal mission-no one else will do it for you.

Belief #3: I can change it.

Don’t let past failures get in your way. The truth is that you can do amazing things when you put your mind to it. Believe that you are capable of losing weight or making any other positive change in your life.

Why do most people fail to make lasting change? They leave it up to willpower.

This works for awhile, but you’ll always revert back to what’s comfortable. The solution?

Change what you’re comfortable with.

You’ve probably heard that humans are motivated by two things:

1) To avoid pain

2) To gain pleasure.

When you want to change a behavior pattern the key is to associate pain with the behavior that you don’t want and pleasure with the behavior that you do want.

You know that you want to lose weight and that to do so you need to quit eating comfort food late at night. You also know that you need to start exercising on a regular basis. Up until this point your brain is trained to associate pleasure with eating comfort food late at night and to associate pain with exercise.

It’s time to retrain your brain to feel good about exercise and to feel bad about eating late at night. Think about all of the negative things about being overweight and connect these unpleasant thoughts to your late night snack. Now think about all of the wonderful things about being in shape and connect these pleasant thoughts to exercise.

You are capable of making a big change in your life.

Remember, change can happen in an instant.

And You Can Start by Joining my New Orleans Fitness Boot Camp Program that you can save 33% off the price!

Click here to To Get In Shape for Summer!

Make sure to leave a comment below!

5 Ways To Step Out of Your Comfort Zone in New Orleans

A Fitness Blog Post by: Leanne Ellington, Orlando Body Transformation Expert

It’s easy to get stuck inside of comfort. Afterall, comfort keeps us safe– it keeps us nurtured. More importantly though, comfort saves us from ever having to step outside the box and try new things– it saves us from failing.

But who says that failing is a bad thing? Isn’t it our mistakes that teach us new things, life-lessons, and give us valuable take-aways?

Eventually though, it will be time for you to step away from the known and venture out into new and exciting things. Don’t get me wrong, it’s one of the scarier things to do in life, but it’s all the more rewarding.

I’m giving you 5 ways to make that transition a little bit easier and step outside of your comfort zone.

1. Try Something New…

Are you guilty of eating at the same restaurants over and over again? Have you been meaning to pick up that guitar in the corner and learn some chords? Have you wanted to start a fitness or weight loss program, but are putting it off? Are you one of those people that goes to the same places, the same bars or social scenes, or the same vacation spot year after year? It’s time to venture out! Try that new sushi joint you have been meaning to try. Pick a new hot-spot to meet friends. Just try something new– anything. You won’t regret it.

2. Strike Up A Conversation With A Stranger….

When was the last time you went up to a complete stranger and started a conversation? Or have you ever maybe walked by someone wearing a cool shirt and wondered where it was from, but were too scared to go up and ask them? Rip off the band-aid and just go up to someone. What’s the worst that could happen? If some rejects you for being friendly or outgoing, you don’t want them as a friend anyways. Remember, you are awesome! Wouldn’t YOU want to know YOU?

3. Join Forces With A Friend…

If you are new to this whole stepping outside of your comfort zone thing, no one said you have to go at it alone. Recruit a friend to “hold your hand” the first time or give you support when you get wherever it is you are going. Lean on the support of your friends and supporters to help pave the way and then finally work up the courage to go at it alone. Especially if getting out of your comfort zone has to do with health and fitness. Studies have show time and time again that those that go at it with a friend or some sort of social support are more than 50% more likely to success. Go grab a friend and get out there!

4. Make A Bucket List…

Write down all the things you could ever dream of doing– all the things you have always wanted to do or wish you had the guts to do. Hang it up on your fridge. Just the act of visualizing amazing things– things that might make you step outside your comfort zone and live a little bit is a really liberating process. Then pick just one thing, do it, and cross it off your list. You still have plenty of time to do those other things on the list, but take a small step and complete just one of them. It will feel sooo darn good to check it off your list!

5. Remember Every Single Day How AMAZING You Are….

Sometimes we tend to stand in our own way. A lot of times inaction is simply a matter of lack of self-confidence or awareness. Take time every day to focus on your awesome, unique qualities and remember every single day how AMAZING you are. Try to work towards your goals every single day and make yourself better and better. Feeling great about yourself is one sure way to help you get over your fears and step out of your comfort zone.

So…. which one are you going to tackle first?

Leanne Ellinngton
“The Orlando Body Transformation Expert”

Hey, Jonas here……Hope you enjoyed the post from Leanne Ellington
Leanne Ellington has stepped out of her comfort zone and sent in an audition video to have her own show on Oprah’s new OWN Network!
Let’s help support her by clicking on her video below and voting as many times as we can to select her to get her very own health, fitness, and fashion variety show. You can literally vote as many times as you want! So keep on voting until July 3rd when the voting ends.

And be sure to leave Leanne a comment in the comment section below!

New Orleans Boot Camp Home Workout

Hey there!  Here is a Quick little workout you can do at home or when you’re on vacation.
Just do sections 1-5 and follow the direction for each section.  Feel free to repeat the whole workout again if you get
finished in under 20 minutes.

1.Warm-up (20 seconds per exercise) – 10 minutes

- Run in Place

- Leg Swings (20 seconds per side)

- Steam engines or jumping jacks

- Stationary Lunge (20 seconds per side)

- Pushups

- Arm rotations (10 seconds in both directions)

- Rest 1 minute and repeat 1 more time.

2. New Orleans Boot Camp Strength Circuit
(20 seconds per exercise) – 5 minutes

- Vertical Jump or Jumping jacks

- Pushups

- Squats

- Rest 2 minute before repeating 1 more time.

Water Break – 2 minutes

3. New Orleans Boot Camp Big 6 Conditioning Circuit
(30 seconds per exercise) – 10 minutes

- Side-to-Side Jump

-  Squat

- Close-grip Pushup

- Band Row or Dumbbell Row 

- Reaching Lunge (30 seconds per side)

- Side Plank (30 seconds per side)

- Rest 2 minutes before repeating 1 more time.

Water Break – 2 minutes

4. New Orleans Boot Camp Big 6 Conditioning Circuit
(30 seconds per exercise) – 10 minutes

- Jumping Jacks

- Split Squat (30 seconds per side)

- Band Row or Dumbbell Row

- Wide stance Pushup (15 seconds per side)

- Lateral Lunge (30 seconds per side)

- Cross-Body Mountain Climber

- Rest 2 minutes before repeating 1 more time.

Water Break – 2 minutes

5. New Orleans Boot Camp Total Body Abs Circuit
(20 seconds per exercise) – 5 minutes

- Inchworm or bicycle crunches

- Side Plank with Leg Raise (20 seconds per side)

- Mountain Climbers

- Rest 2 minutes before repeating 1 more time.

Cool-down, Stretching & Water Break – 10 minutes

 

That’s it ..print it out and get busy!

Make sure that you check out the New Orleans Boot Camp VIP program where you save 33% off the price of boot camp!

Disclaimer: See your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program.
You must have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have
high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, or if you
are over 30 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or
a registered dietitian

Make sure if you leave a comment below if you want more done for you workouts!

The Glycemic Index

A unique tool for achieving a healthy weight in New Orleans

This is a Guest fitness Blog post by Laura Kalina, RD, MAdEd, a registered dietitian and author of Low GI Meals in Minutes Cookbook

The obesity epidemic is the greatest health care crisis to hit the modern western world.  Even more alarming, it is now predicted that over 30 per cent of the next generation will develop diabetes sometime in their lives.  We have become an overfed, undernourished nation because of poor lifestyle habits.  High glycemic index (GI) diets and lack of exercise are largely to blame.

What is the glycemic index?

Dr. David Jenkins, a Canadian nutritional sciences professor, developed this index in the early 1980s. It ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much they raise blood glucose levels in comparison with glucose or white bread.

When you eat food that contains carbohydrates, the sugar (glucose) breaks down during digestion and gives you energy.  After you eat, your blood glucose level rises.  The speed at which food increases your blood glucose level is called the glycemic response.

The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-rich foods according to this response.  Those that raise blood glucose quickly have a higher GI rating.  Foods that do so more slowly have a lower one.  Generally, the lower the rating, the better the quality of carbohydrate and overall nutritional benefit.

Low GI foods are usually low in calories and fat, while high in fibre, nutrients and antioxidants.  Choosing low GI foods more often has many health benefits.

What are the benefits of eating low GI foods?

Prevent obesity – Low GI foods digest more slowly and stay in your stomach longer.  This makes you feel full longer.  As a result, you may eat less and consume fewer calories making it easier to control weight.  In addition, low GI foods do not spike your blood glucose.

Prevent type 2 diabetes – High GI foods may increase the body’s demand for insulin and raise the workload of the pancreas.  Some researchers think that eating a diet rich in high GI foods for many years may wear out the pancreas wear out, resulting in type 2 diabetes.  Eating low GI foods can ease the demand on the pancreas, so it does not work too as hard.

Manage diabetes better – Eating low-GI foods helps control blood glucose and improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin.  These foods do not break down into sugar as quickly and so may keep blood glucose from spiking.  Your body is more able to keep up with insulin demands.  Controlling blood glucose levels is particularly important for helping those with diabetes to avoid serious complications of the disease.

Avert heart disease – Elevated insulin levels may be one driving factor for heart disease.  High GI foods spike blood glucose levels and insulin demand.  This may raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels, contributing to heart disease.  In contrast, consuming low GI foods keeps blood glucose and insulin levels in check.  Some evidence suggests this reduces total blood cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol, while increasing your heart-friendly, good HDL cholesterol.

What are some simple ways to include lower GI foods into my diet?

Start your day off with a Low Glycemic Shake such as Usana’s Nutrimeal.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and  high glycemic choices can trigger you to eat 80 percent more calories all day!

-Choose breads that contain a high proportion of whole or cracked grains, stone-ground whole wheat flour, oats, bran and seeds.  The lowest GI (and recommended) bread is made from whole sprouted wheat.

-Select unrefined cereals like large-flake rolled oats, oat bran, wheat bran, muesli and cereals made with psyllium.

-Serve brown, wild, Basmati or converted (parboiled) rice.

-Try sweet potatoes or yams for dinner instead of regular white potatoes. (See recipe for Sweet Potato Fries.)

-Eat fresh fruit and vegetables.  They have a low GI and break down into sugar slowly.  Canada’s Food Guide recommends five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Enjoy a variety!

-When baking, choose recipes that call for whole grain flours, oat bran, wheat bran, rolled oats or ground flaxseeds instead of, or along with, all-purpose flour.

-Snack on fruit, vegetables, yogurt or a handful of nuts. (Almonds, preferably (non-salted) peanuts and walnuts are good choices because they also add healthy fats to your diet.)

-Choose fruit- and dairy-based desserts, such as berries with low-fat ice cream.

-Enjoy more whole grain pasta, legumes, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.

-Try tofu, barley, quinoa, and bulgur. (See recipes for Quinoa Corn and Black Bean Salad and Tofu Pizza.)

-Use vinaigrette instead of a creamy salad dressing.  It is lower in fat, plus the acidity of the vinegar slows digestion, lowering the meal’s GI.

-Try to include at least one low GI food at each meal.

Choose wisely

Select low and medium GI foods more often than high GI foods.  A GI of 55 or less ranks as low, a GI of 56 to 69 is medium, and a GI of 70 or more ranks as high.  Use the chart to help you make healthier choices.

Low glycemic index foods (55 or less) – choose most often

Usana’s Nutrimeal
Usana’s Nutrition Bars
Skim milkPlain yogurtSoy beverageApple, plum and orangeSweet potatoSprouted wheat bread or tortillaPumpernickel bread
Oatmeal (slow cook oats)All-Bran™
Barley
Bulgar
Quinoa
Lentils, kidney and baked beans
Chick peas
Vegetables

Medium glycemic index foods (56 to 69) – choose more often

Banana
Pineapple
Raisins
New potatoes
Split pea or green pea soup
Brown and Basmati rice
Couscous
Shredded wheat cereal
Whole grain bread (coarse)
Rye bread
Pasta and noodles, cooked to al dente (firm)

High glycemic index foods (greater than 70) – choose less often

White and whole wheat breads and bagels
Instant mashed potatoes
Baked white potato
Instant rice and noodles
Corn Flakes™
Rice Krispies™
Cheerios™
Soda crackers
Jellybeans
French fries
Rice cakes
Pretzels
Popcorn
Cookies
Cakes
Table sugar (sucrose)
Fruit juice
Dried fruit

WRITTEN BY:  Laura Kalina, RD, MAdEd, a registered dietitian and author of Low GI Meals in Minutes Cookbook which can help you put healthy eating into action.
More than a cookbook, this healthy lifestyle guide teaches a quick prep method, and also contains a menu plan, shopping lists, fridge and pantry makeovers and success stories.

To find out more about Laura and how to order her cook book visit –> www.lowgimeals.com.

BONUS: Awesome Tofu Pizza Recipe!

Makes 3 servings   Calories 200 – CARBS 8g • PROTEIN 16g • FAT 11g • FIBER 2g
12 oz (350 g) extra firm tofu
2/3 cups (150 mL) chunky black bean salsa
¼ cup (60 mL) black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped (optional)
½ cup (125 mL) grated cheddar
¼ cup (60 mL) feta, crumbled
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ tsp (1 mL) dried oregano

1. 1. Place oven rack in top third of oven.  Preheat to 400 F.
2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
3. Turn tofu block on edge and slice into six thin slices.  Place tofu slices on cookie sheet.
4. In a bowl, stir salsa with olives and green onion, then spoon over tofu and spread to edges.  Sprinkle with cheddar, feta and oregano.
5. Turn oven to broil and cook until cheese melts, 6 to 8 minutes.
   

   Make Sure you leave a comment Below! I love to hear your thoughts!

   
   

Why Steady State Cardio Actually Sucks in New Orleans(as a primary fat loss tool)

There are 2 major reasons in my book why standard cardio is a big loser for fat loss.

Reason 1

The first is EPOC. EPOC stands for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. Basically what EPOC does is tells us how long it takes the body to return to its pre-exercise metabolic rate. So after a bout of intense exercising your body will continue to burn extra calories for a certain period of time. From a fat loss perspective, the longer the EPOC the better. Some activities like weight training have an EPOC of 30 plus hours. The EPOC for steady state cardio is approximately zero. Yessir, give or take when you step off that treadmill or bike you are done burning calories – done.

You should think of exercising like investing your money. Let say you have a pile of money (you do right?) You are far better off investing it in a high yield account than you are burying it beneath the dog house out back. You want a return on your investment right? The same is true for exercise. If you are going to spend the time, get a high return on your investment and that means a high EPOC. You want to continue to burn extra calories for as long as you can post exercise. There are simply better choices than boring cardio.

Reason 2

The second reason cardio blows for fat loss is the adaptation factor. Your body is wonderful at adapting to various stresses. In general that is a great thing – it has allowed us to survive and thrive for hundreds of thousands of years as our world has changed. From a fat loss perspective it is a giant pain in the ass. Our bodies adapt to certain exercise quite rapidly, and that can bring fat loss to a halt.

As your body becomes accustomed to the activity, it becomes more efficient at doing it. With cardio that means that while walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes once burned 500 calories, 3 weeks later it only burns 300 calories. So for the same amount of work you are now burning 200 less calories per session. Sound good? I didn’t think so.

Real World Example

This has been proven in multiple studies but my favorite example is a client that came to see me a few months back. This is an absolutely true story. She was a woman in her 50s who had 30-40 pounds of fat to lose. She began to walk around her neighborhood to lose weight. At first it worked great, but then the weight loss stalled. So she walked more. Then it stalled again, so she walked more again. After she told me this I asked her how much she was currently walking per day. She said 3 hours per day. I kid you not. 3 hours per day. My jaw hit the floor. Can you imagine working out 3 hours per day and seeing no results for your efforts? I have clients who barely do 3 hours per week and have fat falling off them.

Here’s what happened: her body adapted AND there was zero EPOC. So first off the very second she was done walking she was also done burning calories. There was no carry over to the rest of the day, thus no metabolic increase.

Then as she continued to walk day in and day out her body figured out what was going on and made the appropriate adaptations. Initially that meant weight loss. But that did not last long.

So she had to walk more and more for the fat loss to continue. Eventually her body became very good at using fat for fuel – she was an efficient fat burning machine. While this might sound cool, it is most decidedly not cool.

We want our cars to be efficient at using fuel, the less gas we use the better. But since the goal is fat loss we want our bodies to use as much fat for fuel as possible- we want our bodies to be fat Inefficient . Her body was using less fat per unit of time while working out. Not only that, it taught her body to use less fat during the rest of the day too.

The end result was stalled weight loss. The only method she knew to re-start the weight loss was walking more. But to what end?

There you have it, in a nutshell the reason why at my New Orleans Boot Camps we do not use steady state cardio as a primary fat loss tool.

Now I just spent over 100 words tell you how useless cardio is, but I will say it does have its place in certain fitness programs. But if your main goal is fat loss, steady state cardio should be very low on your to-do list!

Make Sure you leave a quick comment Below!